The Dodo Archive

Elephant Seal Pup Bombards Tourists With Curiosity

A tourist observing a penguin colony in Antarctica made the acquaintance of a very friendly elephant seal pup, who approached them to say hello.

About two to three months old, this recently-weaned pup is likely curious to explore his surroundings -- and his unusual visitors. This behavior isn't so unusual -- in fact, seals often approach humans, though more often it's in the water. As The Dodo reported in January, this behavior is meant to strengthen social bonds:

The behavior seen in the video, rarely seen by humans, is not unusual for young seals in groups. According to Sue Wilson, chairperson of the Seal Conservation Society, seals don't engage in much social interaction when they are on dry land. But it's a whole new story in the water, where they engage in prolonged play -- rolling and twisting around each other in continuous contact, often putting their flippers around each other.

But be warned -- it's not a good idea to approach seals or other marine mammals -- not only can they be dangerous, interacting with seals could make them less fearful of humans and therefore more vulnerable to danger from fishermen or hunters.

Here are some other videos of seals approaching (and charming) humans: